The Gap did not return an email seeking comment. I'll update as more details become available.

Here's what the retailer, which also owns Banana Republic, Piperlime and Athleta, said earlier this month when it reported first-quarter earnings ended April 28:

During the first quarter of fiscal year 2012, the company opened 32 and closed 42 company-operated store locations. Net square footage of company-operated stores was 36.9 million at the end of the first quarter, a decrease of 2 percent from 37.8 million at the end of the first quarter of fiscal year 2011. This decrease reflects Gap Inc.'s strategy to optimize square footage in North America.

Optimize, it may turn out, means closing those stores that aren't profitable or have leases set to expire.

Update 3:30 p.m.:

Gap spokeswoman Kimberly Terry wrote to say that indeed, the store's closure was part of its work to re-evaluate its line-up of stores. Since 2007, about 56 percent of the chain's real-estate activity has been closures or consolidations, according to a company fact sheet Terry provided. The remaining , while 44 percent was opening or relocating stores

"We're constantly re-evaluating our real estate portfolio to ensure we have the right stores in the right places to best serve our customers," she wrote. "We're doing our best to place employees who want to stay with the company in open positions across our family of brands, including Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Athleta, Gap Outlet and Banana Republic Factory Stores."